Stray Lions: Please Let’s Think Like Humans

I am surprised that we are blaming the game warden who saved the life of a man who was already literally under the claws of a lion. I watched the news clip with trepidation as the victim of the stray animal struggled to free himself.

Crowds of people were rushing to help him and shouting to scare aware the murderous lion. Among them were the game wardens. One of them apparently cocked his gun and shot – just in time to save the man who is now in hospital.

What else would a sensible man have done other than that? We should be thanking the warden for his foresight and excellent skills in the use of a gun. But why are we blaming him? Because we are cowardly and dishonest! We are motivated by what we fear foreigners will say. They will say, “Kenyans are killing precious lions!” And tourists will stop coming. But shall we kill ourselves for the sake of the tourists?

Free walk

In my opinion, the right thing to do is to get angry at the government and the director of Kenya Wildlife Services who should have long resigned or been fired. What is his work? More than twice, a lion with flaming eyes has strayed out of the confines of the national park to enjoy a “free walk in our Great City in the Sun”. Last time, one of them strayed right into the very busy Mombasa Road scaring motorists and pedestrians, some of who took cover in the many factories along the long road.

And when the lion was eventually apprehended by the KWS officials, what did one of them do? In stead of being apologetic and telling us what KWS will do to keep the dangerous animals in their place, she decided to blame the motorists and the pedestrians for making noise that angered the wild animal. “A lion attacks people only when they scare it with noises!”

Tell me who would stand still and quiet faced with an approaching lion except another lion?